


Merlin's War

by Camille_Comic



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Character Death, Crucifixion, Drowning, Everybody Dies, Hanging, Not Beta Read, Strangulation, Torture, there's a happy ending though, writing this made me physically sick so use that as a warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 4,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27158908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Camille_Comic/pseuds/Camille_Comic
Summary: A fanfic about what might happen during Rott, basically a au where everyone dies.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 21





	1. Day One - The Fate of Barbara Lake

It was day one of the war against the Arcane Order when Barbara Lake died.

“Where is she!” Jim shouts, rifling through the ruins of his house, the Arcane Order had destroyed it in hopes of killing him.

“Jim She might've made it out!” Claire responds grabbing Jim's hand and attempting to lead him away from the ruins, she knows her words aren't true.

“I found her!” Blinky shouts from the other side of the broken home where the kitchen used to be located.

Jim sprints over, stumbling over the broken boards and shattered glass. Blood covers the ground where his once strong now weak and dying mother lays.

“Jim?” Barbara weakley asks, a huge gaping whole in her chest, her ribs visible through the ripped flesh, her once white doctor's jacket now a dark red.

“Mom!” Jim sobs dropping beside his dying mother, clutching onto her, or what was left of her. Blood covers his armour, it stains his gloveless hands.

She was missing her left leg and the left side of her face was torn, her eye barely staying in its socket. The bone visible through ripped and bloodied skin.

“Don't cry James,” Barbara smiles at her son and holds a hand to his cheek, knowing she won't make it.

“You are strong, you will do what I, your mother, couldn't. She begins to trail off, the blood loss finally catching up with her, she couldn't run from this one. 

“You will live and you will save the world, I know you can.” She finishes, her once loud voice barely a whisper. Her body goes limp as her hand falls to her side, her eyes are dull, her face is emotionless.

The feeling of her cold, lifeless body was a feeling Jim never forgot.

The others never forgot the blood curdling scream Jim let out that day. 

Everyone realized that day that this war wouldn't be over soon, that not everybody will make it out okay.


	2. Day Seven - The Blight of Blinkous Galadrigal

Blinky survived the first week.

It was their first battle with the Arcane Order, they were ambushed.

Bellroc didn't come for Nari this time, Jim was the one in their sights. With Jim gone the world would lose hope, he was their beacon in their darkest hours.

Bellroc almost succeeded, if only hadn't taken the blow for Jim.

“Blinky!” Jim shouts his voice breaking as his mentor throws himself infront of Bellrocs magic, saving him.

The blast went straight through his heart, he stumbled before falling to the ground.

“Blinky!” Jim cries.

“That wasn't my goal,” Bellroc growls, “But it will do just fine.” Bellroc promptly disappears with their army, gone as quick as they came.

“Jim, I want you to know that you are and always will be my son.” Blinky whispers as he slowly turns into stone, “ One last request before I succumb to a peaceful sleep, Master Jim?”

Jim just sobs, he clings to his dying mentor, his dying father.

“Protect Aaarrrgh for me?” He asks before being turned into a lifeless statue of the troll he used to be.

Jim had to be dragged away from Blinkys corpse, he didn't want to lose another family member.

Jim shut down for days after, mindlessly training and slaying Bellrocs forces as they attempted to invade Arcadia. He was a machine.

Aaarrrgh was the one to carry Blinkys corpse home, just as he did with Deya. Aaarrrgh was eerily quiet after that day, he only responded with nods. He avoided contact with the others unless absolutely necessary.

Blinky the Brave, was his new title. History remembered Blinky as the one who saved the Trollhunter.


	3. Day Seven - The End of Eli Pepperjack

Eli had his head ripped off on the tenth day.

Bellroc was ruthless and he was only a kid, he didn't stand a chance, Creepslayer or not.

Bellroc ambushed Eli while he was on a supply run, nobody heard his final scream.

They took joy in ripping the young boys head off, seeing the flesh slowly and painfully tear. The spine cracking and breaking as they tore even further. The boys screams as his lungs were filled with blood.

Bellroc took pleasure in breaking every single one of his bones as he was dying and after. Making sure they tortured this poor soul.

Steve was the first one to find out, Eli’s head was on his doorstep covering the concrete with thick red blood. His eyes missing from his shredded head, the nerves hanging from his sockets.

Steve just cried.


	4. Day Thirteen - The strangling of Steve Palchuk and Aja Tarron

On the thirteenth day, Aja Tarron and Steve Palchuk died, nobody found out until weeks later when Bellroc displayed their bodies for the world to see. Their corpses were hanged from the ceiling, their necks stretched and their skin color distorted due to the tight noose.

Aja and Steve died together, lovers until the end.

Skrael trapped them in a cave where they thought Trolls who needed help would be. 

Aja and Steve almost killed Skrael, Aja had them cornered and Steve was approaching quickly to deal the final blow.

But Bellroc grabbed him by the throat, snapping his neck but not killing him, yet.

Aja screamed,"Steve!" as she watched Bellroc snap her boyfriend's neck, she attacked Bellroc attempting to slice at them with her serrator.

Steve was used as a human shield to protect Bellroc, Ajas serrator slicing his stomach open. Bellroc threw Steve to the side, he hit the cave walk with a thud. 

Aja was mortified, she was heartbroken and she was angry. Her anger is what got her killed in the end.

She was focusing on only attacking Bellroc when Skrael came up behind her and froze her leg, forcing her to fall to the ground. They ripped her leg off, snapping the bone before discarding the frozen and frostbitten leg to the side.

Aja was tortured for hours before finally dying, Skrael took pride in slowly freezing each of her limbs then snapping them off. They wanted as much info as possible but the Queen refused to break, she bowed to noone.


	5. Day Thirteen - The Killing of Krel Tarron

Krel died only a few hours later when he went to find his sister. She was only supposed to be gone for a hour at most but she was gone forever.

Bellroc waited for him, crouched on a rocky ledge several feet above him.

Krel saw his sister for the last time that day, for the last time in his life before Bellroc pounced and ripped out his life core.

That was Bellrocs first mistake, they hung what was left of the royal’s lifecore around their neck. This sparked thousands, millions of extraterrestrials to rise and help save Earth. 

  
  


Alkaridian-6 mourned that day, knowing the royals life cores fizzled out, knowing there was no bringing them back.

That was the day Alkaridian-6 joined the war, Alkaridians fought bravely next to Trolls and Humans alike. 

The royals loved Earth, to the Alkaridians, saving it was the what the royals would've wanted.

The universe cried for the royal’s death, the plants, the people, the planets. The royal’s were more important than they ever knew, a symbol of resistance and rebellion, telling the universes that no matter what life throws at you. No matter what it takes from you, you must rise up and protect those you love, those who need you.

They only knew Krel Tarron, the King-in-waiting was taken from them, when Bellroc displayed Aja Tarron, the Queen of Alkaridian-6, body. That was Bellrocs final and fatal mistake.


	6. Day Fifty-seven - The Sacrifice of Aarghaumont

On day fifty-seven, the peaceful Aarghaumont’s courage had killed him.

He wanted Blinky back, he missed him, Blinky’s death left a hole in his heart. A hole that couldn't be filled.

The Alkaridians and Trolls were planning an assault on the Arcane Order. Jim was distraught over Aaarrrgh’s decision to fight alongside them. He had tried so hard to protect his friends yet he continued to fail time and time again, he let his family and the world down. 

Or so he thought, for the world adored the Trollhunter, the human who fought until the very end, the human who sacrificed _everything_.

Aaarrrgh left that night alongside the Alkaridians and the Trolls, his title that night changed, for he lived as a symbol of courage, in the hearts of all who witnessed his sacrifice that fateful night and in the hearts of those who heard the tale of Aarghaumont the Eternal.

Nobody saw how the courageous Aarghaumont was slain, for he stood tall when the Arcane Order started winning the battle. For he stayed behind and held the gates open for others to escape, for others to _live_.

Toby was heartbroken, he sobbed, his heart heavy with grief. 

Jim was numb to his family's deaths, for he had seen many slain, for he had held many dying warriors in his arms as they drew his last breath.

He only wished he could have been there for Aarghaumont, only wished it was him instead.

Yet Claire ensured that he didn't act rash, she kept him safe until her last dying breath. When she could protect him no longer.


	7. Day sixty-seven - The Demise of Archibald

On day sixty-seven, Archibald died protecting the children of Arcadia from the wrath of the Arcane Order.

The Arcane Order had started targeting children, for in their eyes taking Arcadia's children was the first step in the town's destruction. The first step in killing the Trollhunter, their only real threat.

Archibald was given the task of protecting the children, they were located in the park. The park was surrounded by a high fence made out of stone, courtesy of the Trolls. The more nurturing Trolls were stationed here, the children learned ancient history and languages from the various species of Trolls surrounding the park.

Archibald stood inside the park, he taught the children human subjects, subjects that the Trolls could not teach.

That day was oddly cold, the children huddled together in the various jungle gyms, preferring the tubes that connected them to the cold ground.

Archibald thought it was just a cold fall day, until he saw frost moving closer and closer to the park at a rapid pace. The frost killed everything it touched, trees, plants and finally the Trolls that once protected the park.

Archibald was these children's last hope, they were to far away from the main camp for him to successfully evacuate with the children.

He commanded the eldest child to lead the others towards the main camp, the child was no older then 7.

Archibald stood tall as Skael rose from the frost, his form became more skeletal by the day, by this point you could see his bones through translucent skin.

“Leave _my_ children alone you wretched creature!” 

“Only the strongest may live Archibald,” Skrael motions to the fleeing children, his frost covering the ones who were falling behind the main group.

“Those are children, they haven't even lived.” He growls, his form changing into a large black dragon, his bones snapping as the elongate and move.

“No, those are not children, they are just the stains humans left on our world.”

“They are not stains!” Archibald roars as he covers the frost with flames.

The battle was long, or so the history books say. In reality, it lasted no longer then five minutes, for the frost overtook Archibald rapidly after the first infected wound.

Skrael killed most of Arcadia's children that day, only three lived, those that died were no older than 7. The children were buried together, inside a stoney circle of the Trolls who spent their days protecting them.

The remaining Trollhunters were angry, those were children, children who weren't given the chance to live in a world that wasn't scorned with war.

And Douxie only cried, for everyone he spent centuries with, centuries protecting, was now dead. For that is the curse of immortality.


	8. Day Seventy-six - The Drowning of Toby Domzalski

On day seventy-six, Toby Domzalski was killed.

He was working with the River Trolls down near the river to make a canal to the Main Camp, the original water source was poisoned in an attempt to kill everyone.

They never noticed Skrael stalking them from the trees, their frost covering the branches as they moved branch to branch.

Toby had moved to a shallower part of the water, he was resting on a rock, the war had taken its toll on him. For missing a leg made working harder and more exhausting.

Skrael smiled, a Cheshire grin. As they dropped down and crept up behind the boy, their hands outstretched ready to kill.

He was right behind the boy when a River Troll roared and warned Toby, causing him to quickly turn around and strike Skrael with his Warhammer.

Skrael quickly recovered and lounged at the boy, they had missed and fell into the water or so Toby thought before his legs were froze.

Skrael rose up out of the water behind the boy and pulled him into the water, forcing his head under the water.

Toby tried to scream but his lungs filled with water then ice as Skrael froze the lake. The ice slowly invaded Toby’s lungs before turning into sharp spikes and slicing through his chest from the inside. His death was slow and antagonizing.

Skrael took his corpse and drug it to the Arcane Orders Base, a stake was shoved through the boys body and he was displayed like a limp puppet to the world.

The demi-god just laughed while the world cried. 


	9. Day Eighty - The Deaths of Sharron Longhannon, Mary Wang and Darci Scott

On day eighty, Sharron Longhannon, Mary Wang and Darci Scott were executed by the Arcane Order for being messengers and reporters.

Darci was angry, her fiance dead, he had just proposed to her a week earlier. He knew they probably won't make it out alive, so he dropped to one knee and asked the question so many people hope to hear one day.

“Will you marry me?”

Sharron was distraught her family was killed, in her mind it was her fault, if she wasn't a messenger, The Arcane Order wouldn't have publicly hung them, or atleast not yet. She could've saved them only if she had time. Something that everyone yearns for, time, the one thing that we can never stop.

Mary was determined, she was determined to do her job, to spread the word, to warn as many people as possible. This wasn't her dream job but it was the closest she would ever get to being a news reporter, she always wanted to be in the spotlight.

They were all captured, then hung infront of the world, Bellroc using old magicks to show the world the execution of Mary Wang, Sharron Longhannon and Darci Scott.

Any and all reflective surfaces glowed with the magicks, mirrors, TV's, swords, anything and anything that was reflective displayed the hanging to everyone. 

Jim was angry, it was a primal feeling that never quite left after his time of being a Half-Troll. This time it took him over, Jim was gone.

Claire was tired, her boyfriend mentally destroyed, her teacher withdrawn, her friends dead. She was sick of the war, to her it was like the beetles that ravaged farmers fields, bugs that never went away no matter how much pesticide you sprayed. You could burn that field to the ground and they would still come back to take more and more. 

Their effort in the war was forgotten, those they had saved forgot their names. For they were just three names out of millions of others.


	10. Day Nintey-three - The Crucification of Claire Nuñez

On day ninety-three, Claire Nuñez, the dark witch was crucified.

She was sick and tired of the war, she was sick of losing people she loved. She was worried she would lose Jim.

She left the night Jim received the letter. The letter from the Arcane Order, a formal invitation to end the war if he sacrifices himself. The only condition, Claire Nuñez is the one who kills him.

She didn't believe that offer for a second, they killed Nari weeks prior without hesitation, when she mistakenly trusted them to end the war if she agreed to help them. She always saw the good in everyone, even when Bellroc burned her alive.

She teleported herself into their base, her metal boots clanked on the ground as she hopped out of the portal. The ground was stained with blood, she accidentally teleported herself into their throne room, the thrones made out of bones and flesh. The bodies of her companions and other unnamed faces either hung from the ceiling or were pierced with stakes. 

Bellroc and Skrael sat upon their thrones, staring at the horrified dark witch. 

“Where is the Trollhunter?” Skrael giggles, the sound makes Claire nauseous, she dry heaves as Steve's neck finally snaps and his body falls from the noose. Landing with a sick thud on the ground, his once fair skin now a deathly grey

“You're sick!” She shouts with tears in her eyes as she stumbled back in horror, she points the shadow staff at Skrael.

Her arm hits the ground, blood splatters her clothes as Bellroc rips her arm off at the shoulder.

She screams as she falls to the ground, she grabs the shadow staff with her other hand and tries to make a portal, she didn't want to die, this wasn't supposed to happen.

Bellroc grabs her by the remaining arm and rips the shadow staff away.

She drops to her knees, the blood loss affecting her greatly.

Behind her a large wooden cross looms, it is placed on top of a pile of corpses and coal.

Skrael points behind her towards the cross, giving an unspoken command to Bellroc. She gasps as she sees the cross.

“No.” She screams, “You can't do this!”

Skrael just smiles as Bellroc drags her to the cross, she fights tooth and nail trying to escape.

Bellroc lifts her up with dark magic and Skrael forms sharp icicles that impale her hands and feet to the cross. Blood trickles down her body and the cross, it drips onto the nameless faces that lay below her.

“No, no ,no please don't do this!” She cries.

“Witches have no place among us gods, Morgana proved that centuries ago.” Skrael smiles.

Bellroc lights the pile of bodies on fire, the flame quickly spreads and travels up the wooden cross.

“Jim, I'm so sorry I love you.” She whispers as the flames finally reach her. She just wanted this war to be over, for her it was, but not in the way she hoped.

Skrael enjoyed her screams, her agony was their entertainment.

Nobody knew she died that night, Jim just thought she went out on a late hunt with the Trolls. They were running low on food and Claire always volunteered to help.


	11. Day One hundred - The Last Sacrifice

On the hundredth day of the war and the last day, Hisirdoux Casperan was killed.

He and Jim were the last ones left, they had to save the world, they couldn't let any more people die.

It was the last Assault on the Arcane Order, Trolls, Alkaridians and Humans alike rallied together for the last time.

Alkaridians attacked from the north, the Trolls the south and the Humans swarmed the entrance to the Arcane Orders Base.

Jim and Douxie were leading the attack on the entrance, as soon as they got inside they saw their friends, their family.

Claire was still on the cross, her body blackened and burned.

Steve’s body still layed on the ground from when it feel from the noose.

Toby was staked on the left side of the Arcane Order, Eli was on the right. Their dried blood soaked the stakes and the floor.

Darci was hung from the ceiling, her stomach tore open revealing her intestines, they were hanging out of her body.

Mary was laying limp on the floor, her tongue was cut out of her mouth. Her face was bloodied and she was missing her left leg, it was nowhere to be seen.

Shannon was propped up like a doll near Skrael, her body mostly intact, except for her eyes, they were missing.

Jim was in shock, he couldn't move, he couldn't breath.

Douxie shakes him, he can't break down now the world needs him.

"We’re the last ones left Jim, we have to live, we have to live for the ones who couldn't! We can't stop now!"

Jim looks up at Douxie, then over at his dead family, Douxie was always right.

Douxie let's go of Jim and they charge at the Arcane Forces, Jim slashes at Bellroc and cuts off their hand, they growl and send a wave of fiery magicks towards him, 

Douxie runs and throws himself in front of Jim, the magicks burning a hole straight through his chest.

He turns to dust on impact, Jim just screams, it is a gutteral, a animalistic sound.

He lost himself that day.

He doesn't remember the battle, he just remembers suddenly snapping to attention as the Trolls entered and realizing he was drenched in blood. The Arcane Order’s bodies lay mangled, barely identifiable.

The Trollhunter won.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the Epilogue...


	12. The Beginning of a End

A new Trollmarket was formed, it covered both the surface and the caverns deep underground. It protected both Humans, Trolls and any other creature that needs a home, a family.

In the center of the Trollmarket, statues of each Trollhunter are erected, Jim’s statue stands in the front, holding his sword high, Claire and Toby are behind him, holding their respective weapons. On the other side, directly paralleling Jim, is Douxie. He stands tall with Archie perched on one shoulder and holding his staff in his other hand. Behind him are Steve and Eli, both welding their own weapons, on the middle edge, in-between where Steve and Claire stand is Aja, Krel stands opposite of her in-between Eli and Toby. The royals holding their serators high, a stoney version of their life-core held in the respective’s hand.

Jim is seated beneath the statues, children and adults alike surround him to hear the retelling of the history of Trollmarket.

He is older now and wiser, the war had ended ten years ago. 

Today was a day of remembrance, today is when the tale of Merlin’s War is recited. Today is the day where people live for the ones who didn't have the chance too.

“I barely survived, physically and emotionally I was destroyed, everyone I ever loved gone, and yet I continued to live for the ones who can't, Humans and Trolls are finally United as one,” He says as he motions to Trollmarket, located right in the heart of Arcadia. “For that, all we can do is live.”

“What happened to the Alkaridians?” A young Troll asks, they remind him so much of Blinky. They were just as curious as they were courageous.

“Well, they left.” Jim says as he looks behind him to Aja and Krels statues.

“Do you ever think the Order will come back again?” A human child asks, they look up at him with big brown eyes, filled with admiration.

“No, no I don't think so.” Jim replies, trying to convince himself of that too. He quickly breaks eye contact with the human child for a moment, they remind him of Claire.

“Will you fight again?” A tall orange Changeling asks and Jim shifts his gaze towards them, his heart aches as he remembers how Toby shared the same interest, the same spark in their eyes. “We all have heard of how amazing you were, but we haven't seen it yet.”

Jim hums for a moment, considering his answer. 

“No, I will not.”

“Can you atleast tell us what your scars are from?” Another child asks as they point to a large scar on his upper arm. 

“That is from a sword, I slipped up in the Forge one day as a child.” 

A large bell chimes signaling the sunrise, signaling that it is time for the remembrance ceremony.

“Move along now children.” Jim smiles as he shoos them away.

The children all get up and run inside the caverns of Trollmarket, excited for the ceremony, for today was not a day of mourning but celebration.

Jim looks back at the statues of his family, and his heart aches. He only lingers for a moment before joining the rest of Trollmarket in the caverns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was debating ending this on a cliffhanger,   
> Introducing a new threat to Arcadia, but this story was sad enough and Jim needs a break.


End file.
